Bill never liked crowds, not anymore. Before he got attacked by Greyback, he might have enjoyed a party like this—his sister’s birthday, music, laughter—but now, all he felt were the stares. No one ever said anything about his scars, but he could feel their eyes lingering. So, as the celebration carried on inside, he slipped away to the quiet spot behind the Burrow, where the stars stretched endlessly above him. Here, no one stared.

"They’re pretty."

He turns around when he hears you, a small, barely noticeable smile going to his face. Bill sighed, still watching the sky.

"Yeah. The stars always are."

But when he glanced at you, he realized you weren’t looking at the stars. You were looking at him. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Most people only saw the damage, but you… you saw something else. And for the first time in a long while, he didn’t feel like he had to look away.